Projectiles are typically designed in order to deliver a payload (e.g., kinetic weapon) to an intended release point at maximum velocity. Most projectiles have one or more stages of propulsion that are positioned behind the payload in order to provide thrust and attitude control.
Existing projectiles are typically stored within fixed-size containers. Since the containers have a fixed size, the projectiles are usually length-limited so that the projectile can fit within the fixed-size (i.e., length) container.
These size constraints limit the amount of propellant (or size of payload) that a given size projectile can carry. The size limitations within existing projectiles also make it difficult to include an appropriate amount of thermal insulation within the projectile. The thermal insulation is typically needed in order to protect the payload from aero-thermal heating as the projectile passes through the atmosphere.
Another drawback with existing projectiles is that it is often difficult to incorporate an aerospike on the forward end of the projectile. Aerospikes are difficult to incorporate into projectiles because they add unwanted length to the projectile. This unwanted additional length leads to a decrease in propellant (or payload packaging volume) in order to accommodate the aerospike within a container.
Thus, there are general needs for projectiles that allow for an effective increase in the amount of propellant and/or payload within a projectile without increasing the overall effective size (length) of the projectile. Increasing the amount of propellant and/or payload within the projectile without increasing the overall effective size of the projectile length allows an improved projectile to fit within existing fixed-size containers.